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neither actually nor potentially present； and it was chiefly
on these latter occasions that she encountered those literary
and artistic celebrities of whom mention has been made。
After a while she reduced the matter to a principle。
If Lord Lambeth should appear anywhere； it was a symbol that
there would be no poets and philosophers； and in consequence
for it was almost a strict consequenceshe used to enumerate
to the young man these objects of her admiration。
〃You seem to be awfully fond of those sort of people；〃 said Lord
Lambeth one day； as if the idea had just occurred to him。
〃They are the people in England I am most curious to see；〃
Bessie Alden replied。
〃I suppose that's because you have read so much；〃 said Lord Lambeth gallantly。
〃I have not read so much。 It is because we think so much of them at home。〃
〃Oh； I see；〃 observed the young nobleman。 〃In Boston。〃
〃Not only in Boston； everywhere；〃 said Bessie。 〃We hold them in great honor；
they go to the best dinner parties。〃
〃I daresay you are right。 I can't say I know many of them。〃
〃It's a pity you don't；〃 Bessie Alden declared。
〃It would do you good。〃
〃I daresay it would；〃 said Lord Lambeth very humbly。
〃But I must say I don't like the looks of some of them。〃
〃Neither do Iof some of them。 But there are all kinds；
and many of them are charming。〃
〃I have talked with two or three of them；〃 the young man went on；
〃and I thought they had a kind of fawning manner。〃
〃Why should they fawn？〃 Bessie Alden demanded。
〃I'm sure I don't know。 Why； indeed？〃
〃Perhaps you only thought so；〃 said Bessie。
〃Well； of course；〃 rejoined her companion； 〃that's a kind of thing
that can't be proved。〃
〃In America they don't fawn；〃 said Bessie。
〃Ah； well； then； they must be better company。〃
Bessie was silent a moment。 〃That is one of the things I don't like
about England；〃 she said； 〃your keeping the distinguished people apart。〃
〃How do you mean apart？〃
〃Why； letting them come only to certain places。
You never see them。〃
Lord Lambeth looked at her a moment。 〃What people do you mean？〃
〃The eminent peoplethe authors and artiststhe clever people。〃
〃Oh； there are other eminent people besides those；〃 said Lord Lambeth。
〃Well； you certainly keep them apart；〃 repeated the young girl。
〃And there are other clever people；〃 added Lord Lambeth simply。
Bessie Alden looked at him； and she gave a light laugh。
〃Not many；〃 she said。
On another occasionjust after a dinner partyshe told him
that there was something else in England she did not like。
〃Oh； I say！〃 he cried； 〃haven't you abused us enough？〃
〃I have never abused you at all；〃 said Bessie； 〃but I don't
like your PRECEDENCE。〃
〃It isn't my precedence！〃 Lord Lambeth declared； laughing。
〃Yes； it is yoursjust exactly yours； and I think it's odious；〃 said Bessie。
〃I never saw such a young lady for discussing things！
Has someone had the impudence to go before you？〃
asked his lordship。
〃It is not the going before me that I object to；〃 said Bessie；
〃it is their thinking that they have a right to do it。〃
〃I never saw such a young lady as you are for not 'recognizing。'
I have no doubt the thing is BEASTLY； but it saves a lot of trouble。〃
〃It makes a lot of trouble。 It's horrid；〃 said Bessie。
〃But how would you have the first people go？〃 asked Lord Lambeth。
〃They can't go last。〃
〃Whom do you mean by the first people？〃
〃Ah； if you mean to question first principles！〃 said Lord Lambeth。
〃If those are your first principles； no wonder some of your arrangements
are horrid；〃 observed Bessie Alden with a very pretty ferocity。
〃I am a young girl； so of course I go last； but imagine what Kitty must
feel on being informed that she is not at liberty to budge until certain
other ladies have passed out。〃
〃Oh； I say； she is not 'informed！'〃 cried Lord Lambeth。
〃No one would do such a thing as that。〃
〃She is made to feel it；〃 the young girl insisted〃as if they were afraid
she would make a rush for the door。 No； you have a lovely country；〃
said Bessie Alden； 〃but your precedence is horrid。〃
〃I certainly shouldn't think your sister would like it；〃
rejoined Lord Lambeth with even exaggerated gravity。
But Bessie Alden could induce him to enter no formal protest
against this repulsive custom； which he seemed to think
an extreme convenience。
Percy Beaumont all this time had been a very much less
frequent visitor at Jones's Hotel than his noble kinsman；
he had； in fact； called but twice upon the two American ladies。
Lord Lambeth； who often saw him； reproached him with his neglect
and declared that； although Mrs。 Westgate had said nothing
about it； he was sure that she was secretly wounded by it。
〃She suffers too much to speak；〃 said Lord Lambeth。
〃That's all gammon；〃 said Percy Beaumont； 〃there's a limit
to what people can suffer！〃 And； though sending no apologies
to Jones's Hotel； he undertook in a manner to explain his absence。
〃You are always there；〃 he said； 〃and that's reason enough
for my not going。〃
〃I don't see why。 There is enough for both of us。〃
〃I don't care to be a witness of youryour reckless passion；〃
said Percy Beaumont。
Lord Lambeth looked at him with a cold eye and for a moment said nothing。
〃It's not so obvious as you might suppose；〃 he rejoined dryly；
〃considering what a demonstrative beggar I am。〃
〃I don't want to know anything about itnothing whatever；〃
said Beaumont。 〃Your mother asks me everytime she sees me whether
I believe you are really lostand Lady Pimlico does the same。
I prefer to be able to answer that I know nothing about it
that I never go there。 I stay away for consistency's sake。
As I said the other day； they must look after you themselves。〃
〃You are devilish considerate；〃 said Lord Lambeth。
〃They never question me。〃
〃They are afraid of you。 They are afraid of irritating you and making
you worse。 So they go to work very cautiously； and； somewhere or other；
they get their information。 They know a great deal about you。
They know that you have been with those ladies to the dome of St。 Paul's and
where was the other place？to the Thames Tunnel。〃
〃If all their knowledge is as accurate as that； it must be very valuable；〃
said Lord Lambeth。
〃Well； at any rate； they know that you have been visiting
the 'sights of the metropolis。' They thinkvery naturally；
as it seems to methat when you take to visiting the sights
of the metropolis with a little American girl； there is serious
cause for alarm。〃 Lord Lambeth responded to this intimation
by scornful laughter； and his companion continued； after a pause：
〃I said just now I didn't want to know anything about the affair；
but I will confess that I am curious to learn whether you
propose to marry Miss Bessie Alden。〃
On this point Lord Lambeth gave his interlocutor no immediate satisfaction；
he was musing； with a frown。 〃By Jove；〃 he said； 〃they go rather too far。
They SHALL find me dangerousI promise them。〃
Percy Beaumont began to laugh。 〃You don't redeem your promises。
You said the other day you would make your mother call。〃
Lord Lambeth continued to meditate。 〃I asked her to call；〃
he said simply。
〃And she declined？〃
〃Yes； but she shall do it yet。〃
〃Upon my word；〃 said Percy Beaumont； 〃if she gets much more frightened
I believe she will。〃 Lord Lambeth looked at him； and he went on。
〃She will go to the girl herself。〃
〃How do you mean she will go to her？〃
〃She will beg her off； or she will bribe her。 She will take strong measures。〃
Lord Lambeth turned away in silence； and his companion
watched him take twenty steps and then slowly return。
〃I have invited Mrs。 Westgate and Miss Alden to Branches；〃
he said； 〃and this evening I shall name a day。〃
〃And shall you invite your mother and your sisters to meet them？〃
〃Explicitly！〃
〃That will set the duchess off；〃 said Percy Beaumont。
〃I suspect she will come。〃
〃She may do as she pleases。〃
Beaumont looked at Lord Lambeth。 〃You do really propose to marry
the little sister； then？〃
〃I like the way you talk about it！〃 cried the young man。
〃She won't gobble me down； don't be afraid。〃
〃She won't leave you on your knees；〃 said Percy Beaumont。
〃What IS the inducement？〃
〃You talk about proposing： wait till I HAVE proposed；〃
Lord Lambeth went on。
〃That's right； my dear fellow； think about it；〃 said Percy Beaumont。
〃She's a charming girl；〃 pursued his lordship。
〃Of course she's a charming girl。 I don't know a girl
more charming； intrinsically。 But there are other charming
girls nearer home。〃
〃I like her spirit；〃 observed Lord Lambeth； almost as if he were trying
to torment his cousin。
〃What